The Expanded Program on Immunization, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination has achieved another major milestone in form of warehouse compliance certification that reflects that it operates under the Quality Management System which complies with ISO 9001:2008 standards.

Vaccines are sensitive biological products which may become less effective, or even destroyed, when exposed to temperatures outside the recommended range. Therefore, at Expanded Program on Immunization Pakistan, careful management of vaccines is followed religiously. Therefore Federal EPI under the guidance and direct supervision of the MoNHSR&C has expanded a substantial amount of time and capital in its quest for realization of this achievement.

Minister for National Health Services, Saira Afzal Tarar said she considered it a very positive development in terms of increasing all stakeholder's faith into the program also increasing the quality of the program. He further stated that, “We are pleased to acknowledge that frontline warehousing interventions has demonstrated effective implementation of a management system. ISO 9000 certification provides evidence to partners, suppliers, employees, and the community of our commitment of a state of the art health program.”

Commenting on the development, Secretary National Health Services Muhammad Ayub Sheikh stated that the ISO 9001:2008 is a major achievement which has been possible as a result of concerted efforts in introducing reforms in EPI vaccine management. He said that the recognizes organizations that can link its objectives with operating effectiveness. Programs that achieve management system certification to ISO 9001:2008 have demonstrated effective implementation of documentation and records management, the organization’s commitment to their communities, establishment of clear policy, good planning and implementation, good resource management, efficient process control, measurement and analysis. Continual improvement has been institutionalized; he said.

National Program Manager EPI Dr. Syed Saqlain Gillani said that the achievement was possible due to continuous guidance and support that enabled EPI to achieve this certification which is only of its kind in this region and this on one hand will help strengthen the Pakistan Program and on the other hand will serve as a bench mark for all programs in Pakistan as well as in the neighboring countries. Our warehouse will be a role model for all such programs; he added.